Women and childcare labour: what recognition by State Compensation programs?

This article explores the treatment of unpaid labour for childcare by the three main state injury compensation programs in Quebec, relating particularly to victims of road accidents, injured workers, and victims of crime. First, the author makes a brief presentation on the three programs and exposes the main provisions allowing compensation for the loss of capacity to take care of a child. Second, she reviews case law where compensation or reimbursements were or were not awarded for childcare costs. Finally, the author concludes with a lukewarm acknowledgment of the labour of childcare on the part of state compensation programs. The Automobile Insurance Act is the piece of legislation that recognizes this most, but the available compensation in such cases remains low, while the two other laws contain provisions that are too restrictive and practically never come into effect.